WASHINGTON TIMES — Customers at a Staten Island Home Depot were shocked to see one of the company’s employees wearing an “America Was Never Great” hat earlier this week.

Krystal Lake, 22, of St. George got political during a shift on Tuesday. Her twist on Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s slogan was immediately shared online.

Ms. Lake said the social media furor between those who said she correct, and those who thought she was both unprofessional and wrong, was unexpected.

“The point of the hat was to say America needs changing and improvement,” the cashier told the Staten Island Advance on Wednesday. “I don’t think it’s a positive message to say, ‘Let’s look to the past.’ … I was honestly shocked. I didn’t expect any of this to happen.”

Individuals allegedly issued death threats and others called for her firing after viewing the hat.

Home Depot spokesman Stephan Holmes told the newspaper that the company did not support Ms. Lake’s statement.